Swinging foot rest



y 1965 w. J. PIVACEK 3,185,527

SWINGING FOOT REST Filed Nov. 14, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Wat/4M J P/l/A cZ-K y 1965 w. J. PIVACEK 3,185,527

swmeme FOOT REST Filed Nov. 14, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR W/ZZ/AM J P/VACEK May 25, 1965 w. J. PIVACEK SWINGING FOOT REST s Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 14, 1963 m m m Avamdk WZZMM J. P/VACEK United States Patent 3,185,527 SWINGING FOOT REST William J. Pivacek, Elyria, Ohio, assignor to Mobilaid, Incorporated, Elyria, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. 14, 1963, Ser. N 0. 323,703 13 Claims. (Cl. 297-429) This invention relates to removable and swingable foot rests for wheel chairs, and comprises, among other things, an improvement upon and over the type of foot rest disclosed in Miller US. Patent No. 2,592,449.

Swingable and removable foot rests are known, but serious problems and disadvantages have plagued the art before and since the Miller patent. For example, ease, certainty and convenience of attachment has long been wanting. Persons using wheel chairs tend to have limited or impaired health and/ or facilities, and have more than their share of trouble aiming, aligning and connecting spaced pintles in spaced gudgeons even with unequal length pintles. It is also miserable to have to find a detached, or remotely or loosely attached, locking pin or device, and then also find a place to put it to secure the foot rest in its ultimately attached and foot-supporting position. It has been objectionable to have the foot rest inadvertently detachable in all or many positions other than the actual foot-supporting position. Prior practice has also required a special design and construction of the front posts of the chair for reception of and coaction with the foot rest structure as such.

It is among my objects to overcome these objections and deficiencies in prior art and practice, and to solve the problems presented thereby. Additionally it is one of my objects to provide a better and more useful foot rest with improved facility of attachment to and detachment from a wheel chair.

A more specific object is to provide a foot rest assembly i.e. sub-assembly, which in its entirety may be connected to any front post or equivalent part of any wheel chair without the provision of permanent knuckles, gudgeons, pintles or other addenda welded or permanently integrated with the posts of the chair. Another object of my invention is to provide an entire operable swinging and detach. able foot rest as a sub-assemblywhich is attachable to and removable from .a front post of a chair and has the foot rest swingably and removably included in the subassembly and therefore swingable and removable relative to the chair. correspondingly it is one of my objects to provide a foot rest sub-assembly which may be entirely removed from the front post of the chair with which it serves without leaving unsightly projections and appurtenances to remind the user or observer that the chair lacks some instrumentality,or to catch clothing or injure the extremities of the user or attendant.

A major object is to provide a swingable mounting for a foot rest and a detachable connection between a swingable foot rest and a support on the front post of a wheel chair that is strong, rugged and secure, that is positively held in foot supporting position, that is easily released for swinging motion, that is freely swingable but not inadvertently removable, that is easily and conveniently attached to and detached from a chair, and is positionable one-handedly, and/or by touch as well as sight, and that is of neat and attractive appearance. I

Other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully and at large appear from the following description of a preferred form of my invention, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 in a partial side elevation of the forward part of a wheel chair upon the right front post of which my swinging and detachable foot rest combination and assembly is removably mounted; the foot rest being shown in its foot-supporting, straight-ahead position.

3,185,527 Patented May 25, 1965 FIGURE 2 in a partial front elevation, partly in section of the front and front post of the chair taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 in a horizontal sectional view looking downward and taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 4 in a view taken similarly to FIG. 3 but with the foot rest swung to a position at right angles to its straight-ahead position.

FIGURE 5 in a fragmentary View corresponding to FIGURE 2 but with the foot rest swung to the angle of FIG. 4 but detached and removed from its support on the front post of the chair.

FIGURE 6 in a fragmentary horizontal section taken in the plane of the line 6-6 of FIG. 5, looking upwardly.

FIGURES 7-13 incl. show progressively the relative positions of the detachable socket and spindle par-ts of the foot rest from fully detached to fully and operatively attached conditions; FIGURES 9, 11 and 13 being horizontal sections taken in the planes 9-9, 11-11 and 13-13 of FIGURES 8, l0 and l2.respectively.

Referring now generally to FIGURES 1-6 of the drawings, a preferred form of my invention is shown with the chair 0 which has a conventional tubular front post P in respect to which the foot rest F, with its conventional pedal portion D, is detachably and swingably mounted in and by the detachable hinged joint H, a curved strap portion 1 whereof snuggly engages, and is removably secured to, the post P by studs 2, FIGS. 3, 4 and 6. The studs 2 have their head ends brazed or welded to the rearward, blind face of the strap 1 and extend horizontally through aligned holes, not shown, in the post, and are secured by nuts 3 on the rearward threaded ends thereof.

The strap 1 of the hinge H carries a cylindrical, openended socket, or socket-like part, 5 the axis of which stands vertically parallel with the axis of the post and strap, and is offset forwardly and outwardly from the axis of the post, i.e. forwardly, and for the right front post of a chair, rightwardly away from the occupant of the chair. The socket 5 is brazed or welded to the strap along its inner and rearward side as at 6, see FIG. 6, and has an open slot 7 running its full vertical height and length as shown in FIGS. 5 to 13 inclusive.

The footrest F carries the spindle 8 of the hinge H within the part 10, FIGS. 1 to 5, which is detachably and hingedly connectable with, connected to, or detached from the socket 5, and thereby effects the detachable and swingable relationship between the chair and the footrest as a whole. The part 10, see also FIGS. 7-13, comprises a thin, flat, strip not quite as thick as the width of the slot 7, and bent at a right angle within itself and hav ing a straight horizontal portion 11 joined as by brazing or welding, at its forward end to the inclined tubular part of the footrest as at 12, and having its rearward vertical portion 13 joined at its upper end to the upper and rearward end of the tubular portion of the footrest. This juncture is effected at two places, 14 and 15, see FIGS. 2, 7, 8 and 10, as by brazing or welding; the joint 14 being established between the side of an upper vertical cylindrical portion 16 of the part 10 at 17 and the side of the tubular end of the footrest, and the joint 15 being estab lished between the upper curved end 18 of the portion 13 of the part 10 and the bottom of the upper rear end of the tubular part of the footrest.

The portion 13 of the part 10 comprises, FIGS. 7-13, not only the uppermost cylindrical portion 16 mentioned above which is the head of the spindle of the hinge, but

diameter of the socket, preferably with a close, free rotary and sliding fit within the socket, FIGS. -13. The portion comprises the circular shank of the spindle of the hinge H. The exterior bottom of the head 16 overhangs the portion 20 and is preferably squared off normal to the axes of these portions to provide a load bearing shoulder 19 to rest upon and have free sliding engagement with the upper end of the socket when the parts are assembled in operative relation as in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and l0l3.

The portion 13 as best shown in FIGS. 10-13, comprises two legs 21 and 22 spaced apart by the slot 23 the lower end 24 of which is spaced above the curve of the angle of the bend 25 of the part 10 by a distance no less than the length of the small cylindrical shank 20. The free length of the slot from the shoulder 19 to the lower end 24 of the slot is about the same as, and no less than, the length of the socket 5. When the upper rear end of the footrest tube is welded to the upper end of the leg 21 at 18 and to the side of cylinder 16 at 17, the tube of the footrest closes the upper end of the slot 23 as shown in FIG. 2. The width of the slot 23 is no less than the wall thickness of the socket, see FIGS. 9, 11 and 13 and the thickness of the leg 22 at least, of the portion 13, is no greater than the width of the slot 7 of the socket so that the parts may interfit as shown best in FIGS. 9-13. It may also be noted as best shown in FIG. 9 that the Width of the leg 22, barring the rectangular shape thereof, is approximately equal to the inside diameter of the socket 5 and is rotatable within the socket with, preferably, but little clearance therebetween. The vertical center-line or axis of the leg 22 coincides with the axis of the circular head 16 and shank 20 of the spindle and comprises the lower and remainder of the spindle 8.

The head 16 of the spindle 8 is slotted transversely, i.e., at right angles to the plane of the portion 13 of the part 10 as at 26 whereby to extend fore and aft of the chair when the footrest is straight-ahead as in FIGS. 1 and 3. A manually operable lever 27 pivotally mounted at 28 on the upper and rearwardly extending planar portion of the strap 1, whereby to swing in the fore and aft plane of the slot 26, has approximately the same width as the slot, and may enter the same only when the slot lies fore and aft, and when received in the slot secures the footrest in its straight-ahead position, FIGS. 1 and 3. Gravity ordinarily suffices to urge the lever 27 into the slot 26. As also suggested in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 the rearward end of the tubular portion of the footrest contacts and bears upon the forward face of the strap 1 when the footrest is in its straight-ahead position so that the business of the lever 27 is largely confined to securing the footrest from swinging outwardly, and more importantly, the contact between the end of the footrest and the strap provides a home position upon the attainment of which the lever will fall into the slot with great convenience to the occupant of the chair. I prefer that the upper surface of the head 16 ofthe spindle be rounded a bit and smoothed off to insure that the lever 27 will be freely supported thereupon and will not interfere with free swinging motion of the footrest whenever the footrest is not in the straight-ahead position, and when the lever is caused or permitted to lie upon the head 16 ,as is often the case as a matter of convenience and facility in and with the operation and enjoyment of my invention. A suitable stop, not shown, or light friction, adjacent the pivot 28 will hold the lever 27 approximately vertical and removed from contact with the head of the spindle when the footrest is detached or to be detached from the chair.

Turning now more particularly to FIGS. 7-13 the operation of my invention will be summarized; it being understood and appreciated that while the socket 5 is preferably carried on the footrest the opposite arrangement may be employed within the precepts of my invention. In FIG. 7 the activeparts of the hinge H are related about the same as they are disposed in FIGS. 5 and 6, except for the outward displacement of the footrest in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the footrest is about to be attached to the chair, or has just been removed from it. In consideration of FIG. 7 it may be first assumed that the spindle is about to be attached to the socket, i.e., that the hinge is about to be assembled. In that event the part 13 is aligned horizontally with the diametric plane of the socket which bisects the slot 7, and the part 13 is aligned vertically with the. ends of the socket so that the upper end of the socket lies below the lower edge of the circular shank 20, and the lower edge of the socket is above the curve 25 of the bend of the part 10. From this relative position the leg 22 can be moved horizontally through the slot 7 diametrically of the socket without relative axial motion with respect thereto to the position shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Thereupon mere downward movement of the footrest carries the spindle 8 axially downwardly in the socket 5 bringing the circular shank 20 into rotatable engagement with the interior of the socket, and bringing the shoulder 19 of the head of the spindle into sliding bearing contact with the upper end of the socket, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. At this point a true and free pivotal connection of the essential parts of the hinge has been eifected as shown in FIG. 4,

and therefore the footrest can be swung about the. axis of the hinge rightwardly and leftwardly as viewed in FIG. 4, for nearly 180, i.e., from the straight-ahead position of FIG. 3 back around beyond the position of FIG. 4 until the footrest is nearly parallel with the side of the the straight-ahead position the part 13 will have been chair. When, however, the footrest has been swung to the straight-ahead position the part 13 will have been turned degrees from the position of FIG. 10 to the position of FIG. 12 so that the leg or spindle shank 22 stands at right angles to the slot 7 where it is restrained to coaxial alignment with the socket by virtue of the close fit between its edges and the interior of the socket in supplement of the pivotal fit between the circular shank 20 in the upper part of the socket. Moreover, the bottom 24 of the slot 2370f the part 13 will have come to close sliding proximity or clearance with the bottom end of the socket 5 so as to trap the spindle in the socket against axial displacement and/or being removable therefrom in the straight-ahead position as well as all other angular positions except theexact position of FIG. 10 from which alone the beginning of detachment of the hinge parts may be initiated.

Meanwhile, it will be recalled that when the parts of the hinge are in the position of FIGS. 3, l2 and 13, the lever 27 will have fallen into the slot, or have been otherwise placed therein if the straight-ahead position were desired to be maintained, so that the footrest could not have been turned from the position of FIG. 12 back to FIG. 10 to begin detachment unless that were wilfully undertaken and intended. From the position of FIG. 10, however, detachment of the parts may proceed oppositely of the steps of attachment above described above. On the other hand, when the parts are in the position of FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 12 the footrest is so securely attached to the chair that the chair and occupant may be lifted by the footrests (and simultaneously by the rearward parts of the chair, not shown) without risk to the occupant and without any possibility that the parts of the hinge might inadvertently lose engagement with each other.

Assuming the footrest to be in the position of FIG. 1 and the chair occupied, the occupant has only to lift the frontend of the lever 27 and grasp the upper rear end of the footrest to swing it with almost no efiort outwardly and rearwardly awayufrom thefront of the chair for removal or to a rearmost position as he may prefer. If he seeks to remove the footrest, he has merely to swing it to the position of FIGS. 4 and 10, lift it the length of the circular shank 20, and move the shank 22 bodily outwardly of the socket, all of which motions are simple, natural and easy. The opposite sequence from the point of view of the occupant will attach the footrest and put it [back in its straight-ahead, foot-supporting position.

While I have hereinabove described a preferred form and embodiment of my invention, changes and improvements therein and thereupon will occur to those skilled in the art who come to understand and enjoy the same without departing from the precepts and principles thereof, wherefor I do not want to be confined in the scope and effect of my patent to the form of my invention herein specifically illustrated and described, nor in any other way inconsistent with the progress by which the art has been promoted by my invention.

I claim: i

1. A pivotal and'detachable connection for a detachable and swinging element for a chair oornprising two members detachably and hingedly connected for pivotal motion about a common vertical axis, one of said members having open ends and a cylindrical interior aligned on said axis and having a longitudinal slot of smaller width than the diameter of said interior, the other member having a part whose thickness is no thicker than the width of said slot and whose width is about as wide as, but no wider than, said diameter, saidpart being rotatably' disposed in said interior and being irremovable through said slot when its thickness is not aligned therewith, and means for slideably supporting one of said members relative to the other for rotation about said axis.

2. The connection of claim 1 wherein said othermember has a second part bigger than said slot and movable to and from said one member only through one of the ends thereof. V

3. The connection of claim 1 in which said other memher also comprises a cylindrical part axially aligned with said first named part and bigger than said slot and having a free rotatable fit with said interior and being adapted to enter said one member through one of the ends thereof.

4. A pivotal and detachable connection comprising two members pivotally connected for relative motion about an axis, one of said members having open ends and a cylindrical interior aligned on said axis. and having a longitudinal slot extending 'from end to end of said member and 6 V 5i The connection of claim 4 wherein one of said portions has similar thickness to said part and is adapted to enter an end of said slot when the thickness of said part is aligned therewith.

6. The connection of claim 5 wherein said part has a rounded end remote from said last named portion and bigger than said slot and adapted to enter the other end of said one member when said last named portion lies in said slot.

7.- A detachable and swingable hinge connection as for a detachable and swingable element for a wheel chair comprising an open-ended, internally cylindrical socket member having-a slot of less width than the internal diameter of the socket, and a spindle member having a circular shank portion and an axially aligned, non-circular shank portion, the said circular portion being larger than said slot and having a pivotaland sliding fit with the im terior of the socket and being removable axially from one end of said socket, said non-circular shank portion being rotatable in said socket and being removable through said slot in one angular position relative thereto and being movable axially in saidsocket while said circular shank portion is moved in and out of said end of said socket.

8. The hinge of claim 7 in which said spindle member 'has enlargements engageable with the ends of said socket member when said members are hingedly connected.

9. The hinge of claim 8 with means for preventing relative angular motion between said members.

10. The hinge of claim 7 with means for preventing relative angular motion between said members.

11. The hinge of claim 7 with means for preventing axial motion between said members in all other angular .positions between said members.

12. The hinge of claim 7 having a strap to which said socket member is secured, and means for removably securing said strap to the leg of a chair.

13. The hinge of claim 7 wherein said spindle member has a slotted head, and a lever pivotaly supported on an axis fixedly related to said socket member and removably engageable with the slot in said head.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 860,328 7/07 Rose 248-289 2,147,890 2/ 3 9 Glasgow 248-289 2,43 7,647 3 48 McLean 248-289 2,592,449 4/ 52 Miller 297-429 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PIVOTAL AND DETACHABLE CONNECTION FOR A DETACHABLE AND SWINGING ELEMENT FOR A CHAIR COMPRISING TWO MEMBERS DETACHABLY AND HINGEDLY CONNECTED FOR PIVOTAL MOTION ABOUT A COMMON VERTICAL AXIS, ONE OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING OPEN ENDS AND A CYLINDRICAL INTERIOR ALIGNED ON SAID AXIS AND HAVING A LONGITUDINAL SLOT OF SMALLER WIDTH THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID INTERIOR, THE OTHER MEMBER HAVING A PART WHOSE THICKNESS IS NO THICKER THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID SLOT AND WHOSE WIDTH IS ABOUT AS WIDE AS, BUT NO WIDER THAN, 